How to Harvest Banana Cantaloupe

The "Banana" cantaloupe cultivar has the elongated appearance of a banana and the yellowish exterior netting of a cantaloupe. Also called banana melons, these fruits are harvested like other cantaloupe melons. Instead of relying only on the color of the melon, cantaloupes are ready for harvest when they easily separate from the vine. This happens 35 to 45 days after the flowers have been pollinated. A fully ripened "Banana" cantaloupe off the vine has a mild flavor and deep salmon-colored flesh.

1

Check the banana cantaloupes, where they rest on the ground, for a pale, cream-colored spot.

2

Feel the stem of each fruit for dryness. Ripe fruits have a dry stem that looks brown and shriveled.

3

Look at the exterior color on the top of the melons for a yellow or tan color without green.

4

Touch the blossom end. It should feel soft if the melon is ripe.

5

Twist the melon on the vine to harvest it.

6

Check any unharvested melons every other day until the remaining melons have fully ripened.

Tip

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